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V ovzRsHoB` 8 No. 368,663. Patented Aug. Z3, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK D. FRY AND HENRY W. BENEDICT, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO THEODORE H. BENEDICT, OF SAME PLACE.

OVERSHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,663, dated August 23| 1887.

Application filed J une 17, 1887. Serial No. 241,589.

ToV all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK D. FRY and HENRY W. BENEDICT, citizens of the United States, residing at Danbury, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Overshoes; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to the manufacture of rubber overshoes, and has for its object to so improve the construction of the shoe that the danger of slipping ott at the heel while in use shall be wholly avoided, without, however, adding in the slightest to the cost of production. The necessity for an invention of this class that will perfectly accomplish the result aimed 'at will be apparent to all persons handling or using rubber overshoes, especially ladies rubbers. In order to wholly overcome this objection and produce an overshoe that will hold itself in position upon ne light shoes without the use of supplemental securing devices, without increase of weight, andwithout impairing the symmetry and neatness of appearance of the overshoe itself, we have devised the simple and novel construction of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

Figure l is an elevation of a rubber overshoe embodying our invention; and Fig. 2 is an elevation, the rear portion being broken away, illustrating the use of our invention in connection with a ladies walking-shoe.

l denotes a shoe having a heel, 2, and 3 an overshoe having a heel, 4, and counter 5.

The invention consists in forming the lower portion of the overshoe just above the heelthat is, the portion of the overshoe that is oontiguous to the heel of the shoe-with an inwardly-curved portion, 6. The exact outline of this curved portion is not of the essence of our invention, the gist of which lies in the broad idea of giving an inward curvature to the portion of the rubber which we have termed the counter in the process of manufacture, so

5o that in use the lower portion of the counter (No model.)

will press firmly upon the heel of the shoe. It is of course well understood that it is eustomary to curve all shoe-heels inward more or less, about midway their height, as is clearly shown in the drawings.

In embodying our invention in the manufacture of overshoes we make the inwardlycurved portion 6 wide enough and deep enough so that it will engage with .the heels of various classes of shoes as ordinarily made, the deepest portion of the curved portion coming in contact with the corresponding portion of the heel of the shoe, so that the overshoe takes firm hold upon the heel and the danger of its slipping is wholly avoided. As the desired inward curvature at the counters is imparted to our improved overshoes by molding in the process of manufacture, it follows that this contour will be permanent and in no danl ger of being lost by long-continued use.

When an overshoe embodying our invention is placed upon an ordinary shoe, the deepest part of curved portion 6 comes in contact with the heel of the shoe and is pressed outward more or less, grasping the heel firmly, but with a yielding pressure. As soon as the overshoe is removed, however, the curved portion springs back to its normal position, as in Fig. l, the operation in use being clearly indicated in Fig. 2.

'Ihe manner in which the molding of the overshoes is accomplished forms no portion of our present invention. Our preferred method is clearly set forth in an accompanying application for Letters Patent of even date herewith.

We claim- As an improved manufacture, an overshoe the counter of which is curved inward just above the heel, then outward again, forming a curved portion, 6, adapted to engage the heel of an ordinary shoe with a yielding pressure.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK D. FRY. vHENRY W. BENEDICT.

Witnesses:

NORMAN Hohen, L. L. HorKINs. 

